And With a Light Touch: Learning About Reading, Writing, and Teaching With First Graders

by Carol Avery, Donald Graves (Foreword by)

. . . And with a Light Touch is about children in the process of learning to learn. Carol Avery and her first graders show us the dynamic, interactive processes of teaching and learning in a true learner-centered classroom where children make decisions and are active learners. From the first day of the school year to the last, we see children working in writing and reading workshops and learning to write and read without basal programs. We see things that don't work and we see celebrations. And we see clearly how literature becomes the common ground for the children's learning.

. . . And with a Light Touch also documents one teacher's professional development as she leaves programmed instruction and learns to listen to children and respond to their individual needs. Avery addresses three major areas in depth: Writing process - structuring daily writing workshops and the development of young writers Reading process - structuring daily reading workshops and how children learn to read without a basal reader, with a section on skill development including phonics Children's literature - incorporating children's literature into the daily life of the classroom and stimulating children's responses to literature.

480 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 1993

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gained a lot of useful insight into conducting Writer's workshop with young children.